It's reached the US

Wild Green-winged Teal ducks in central Illinois have tested positive for a low-pathogenic strain of avian influenza, the government said on Friday. "Initial tests confirm that these wild duck samples do not contain the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain that has spread through birds in Asia, Europe and Africa," the Agriculture and Interior departments said in a statement. Five of 11 samples taken from the ducks tested positive for the H5 virus subtype and one contained the H5 and N1 subtypes, they said. The samples were sent to a federal laboratory in Ames, Iowa, for further testing of virus strains. The samples were collected on Sunday at the Rice Lake Conservation area in Fulton County, central Illinois. The ducks showed no signs of illness, which also indicates a low-risk strain of avian influenza.

Low-pathogenic H5N1 has been confirmed in the United States this year including in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

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This testing also suggests, but has not yet confirmed, that this is low pathogenicity avian influenza.

Low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) commonly occurs in wild birds, where it typically causes only minor symptoms or no noticeable symptoms. These strains of the virus are not a human health concern. This includes LPAI H5N1, commonly referred to as the North American H5N1. This strain of low pathogenicity avian influenza is very different from the more severe HPAI H5N1 circulating overseas, which is commonly referred to as the Asian H5N1.


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WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2006 - The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior today announced final test results, which confirm that an H5N1 avian influenza virus detected in fecal samples collected last month from resident wild mallard ducks in Maryland is a low pathogenic subtype. This strain has been detected several times in wild birds in North America and poses no threat to human health.


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